Trouble in Ukraine

CockRoach Alley’s series of articles about:

Ukrainian/Russia Crisis

or

Exposing the ongoing Jewish Dichotomy

part 1

As of March 4, 2014
President Vladimir Putin harshly criticized Ukraine’s new leadership, calling the crisis an “unconstitutional coup.”He said that Russia is not planning to annex Crimea and he would leave it up to citizens in the region to determine their future. He also, did not take the option of using military force off the table but said, it would be used as “a last resort.”

Will Russia launch a full-scale armed assault on Ukraine ?

After months of anti-government protests in Ukraine, they turned bloody and violent, sparked by President Viktor Yanukovych’s rejection of a European Union trade deal.

Putin sent military forces into Ukraine on March 1.

In his first public comments about the crisis since President Viktor Yanukovych was deposed Feb. 22, Putin described Ukraine as lawless and suggested that Ukrainians appeared unable to run their own country. He said masked militants were “roaming the streets of Kiev”.

“This is a humanitarian mission,” he said.

The action is being undertaken to protect the Russian population in the Crimean Peninsula, where, Russia has strong economic and political interests. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused Ukraine’s new leaders of attacking minority rights and said that ultra-nationalists control many areas of the ex-Soviet country.

“The victors intend to make use of the fruits of their victory to attack human rights and fundamental freedoms… of minorities,” Lavrov told the opening of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. “The radicals continue to control the cities” and ” limit the rights of linguistic minorities.” “Violence of ultra-nationalists threatens the lives and the regional interests of Russians and the Russian speaking population,” he said. “This is a question of defending our citizens and compatriots and ensuring human rights and the right to life.”

How it is presented:

500,000 anti-government protesters who flooded Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, in December to demand the ousting of Yanukovych.

Anti-government protests have since been held in the cities of Dnepropetrovsk, Odessa, and Kharkiv, (pro-Russian sources have hinted, instigated and inflamed by pro west factions).

Thousands of protesters marched in Moscow on Sunday in support of Russian incursion, and there have also allegedly been pro-Russia protests in many Ukrainian cities.

According to the New JewYork Times, some of these may be staged by Russian “protest tourists” and “Kiev officials” (of course no names are cited) say that Moscow is behind pro-Russia demonstrations in Ukraine.

Russia has rejected reports that it threatened Ukraine with military assault if it does not surrender the Crimea by 3am on Tuesday as “total nonsense”.

Amid the confusion of the worst diplomatic crisis since the Cold War, the Russian Defence Ministry said that the country has “become accustomed to the daily accusations by the Ukrainian media of carrying out some sort of military actions against our Ukrainian colleagues”.

Relations between East and West have plummeted as the Russian Government continued to ignore calls from Western leaders to leave the Ukrainian area.

The U.S. and its European allies vowed Sunday to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin and punish his nation’s economy, demanding he withdraw what they called an occupation force from Ukraine’s Crimean region.

Washington began canceling joint economic and trade initiatives with Moscow, including preparations for the summit of the Group of Eight leading nations scheduled to be held in Sochi, Russia, in June.

Senior U.S. officials said the administration was also beginning discussions with Congress on implementing targeted economic and financial sanctions on Russian companies and leaders if the Kremlin didn’t begin pulling back from Crimea.

Officials in Washington and around Europe were searching for penalties to impose on Moscow, while acknowledging military intervention wasn’t among the possibilities.

U.S. officials sounding like a bunch of jew bankers whores, insist that the weakening of Russia’s economy and the sagging value of its currency, the ruble, were Mr. Putin’s Achilles’ heel.

As of Monday the number of rubles needed to match the US dollar (not much of a bench mark) nose-dived in wake of the crisis.

2010February: Viktor Yanukovych declared winner in presidential election, judged free and fair by observers.
Main rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, arrested for abuse of powers and eventually jailed in October 2011.

November 2013

November 21 : President Yanukovych’s cabinet abandons an agreement on closer trade ties with EU, instead seeks closer co-operation with Russia.
Ukrainian MPs also reject bill to allow Yulia Tymoshenko to leave the country.
Small protests start and comparisons with Orange Revolution begin.Late November: Protests gather pace, as 100,000 people attend demonstration in Kiev, largest in Ukraine since Orange Revolution.
Police launch first raid on protesters, arresting 35.

December 2013

Early December: Protesters occupy Kiev city hall and Independence Square in dramatic style, turning it into a tent city. Biggest demonstration yet sees 800,000 people attend demonstration in Kiev.

December 17 : Russian President Vladimir Putin throws President Yanukovych economic lifeline, agreeing to buy $15bn of Ukrainian debt and reduce price of Russian gas supplies by about a third.

Demonstrators on Independence Square

The biggest protest so far took place in Kiev on 8 December

January 2014

“Central Kiev square is like a vision of hell“

January 16-23 : Parliament passes restrictive anti-protest laws, Days later two people die of gunshot wounds as clashes turn deadly for first time.
Third death reported as body of high-profile activist, Yuriy Verbytsky, found after reported abduction.
Protesters begin storming regional government offices in Western Ukraine.

January 22:Euromaidan protects the synagogues in Ukraine
The leadership of the united opposition Mykhaylo Livinskyi proposed to Joseph Zissels, chairman of the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Ukraine (VAAD) (Vaad is a Hebrew term for a council of rabbis), to establish the security and patrols around synagogues of Kyiv with the Euromaidan self-defense forces.
One Ukrainian MP was appointed as the Programme coordinator of security of Kyiv synagogues.
Who was the MP? Who in the besieged government issued this assignment?

Witnesses say Ukraine’s “descent into insanity”

February 2014

February 14-16 : All 234 protesters arrested since December released.
Kiev city hall, occupied since 1 December, abandoned by demonstrators, along with other public buildings in regions.
Amnesty granted.

Kiev’s bloodiest day for decades.

February 20 : Protesters take up new positions in Kiev, Independence Square resembled a battlefield.
As truce breaks down, Kiev sees worst day of violence for almost 70 years.
At least 88 people killed in 48 hours of bloodshed.
The world is shown uniformed snipers firing at protesters holding makeshift shields.
Three European Union foreign ministers fly in to try to broker a deal; Russia announces it is sending an envoy.
President Yanukovych signed a deal with opposition leaders that soon became redundant.

February 21 : President Yanukovych signs a compromise deal with opposition leaders, brokered by French, Polish and German foreign ministers.
New national unity government to be formed with constitutional changes handing powers back to parliament and early elections, held by December.
Sporadic violence continues and protesters remain defiant.

February 22 : Events move quickly
President Yanukovych disappears – reports say he has left for Kharkiv in the north-east.
Protesters take control of presidential administration buildings without resistance.
Opposition leaders call for elections on 25 May; Parliament votes to remove president from power with elections set for 25 May.
Mr Yanukovych appears on TV to insist he is lawfully elected president and denounces “coup d’etat“.
Arch-rival Yulia Tymoshenko, jailed for seven years in 2011, freed and travels from Kharkiv to address Kiev crowds.
Former PM Yulia Tymoshenko made an emotional speech to protesters at Kiev’s Independence Square.

Armed stand-off in Simferopol

February 23-26 :
Parliament names speaker Olexander Turchynov as interim president.
Arrest warrant issued for Mr Yanukovych and acting president warns of dangers of separatism.
Members of proposed new government appear before demonstrators, with Arseniy Yatsenyuk nominated prime minister.
Elite Berkut police unit, blamed for deaths of protesters, is disbanded.
Rival protests in Crimea.

February 27-28 :
Pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings in Crimean capital Simferopol.
Unidentified gunmen in combat uniforms appear outside Crimea’s main airports, sparking fears of Russian military intervention.
At first news conference since fleeing Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, now in southern Russia, insists he remains president and opposes military intervention or division of Ukraine.

March 2014

March 1 :
Russian parliament approves President Vladimir Putin’s request to use Russian forces in Ukraine.
In Kiev, acting President Olexander Turchynov puts army on full alert.
Large pro-Russian rallies in several Ukrainian cities outside Crimea, including second-biggest city Kharkiv, West reacts with alarm: US President Barack Obama tells Mr Putin in 90-minute telephone conversation to pull forces back to bases.
Mr Putin says Moscow has right to protect its interests and those of Russian-speakers in Ukraine.

March 3 :
“Black Monday” on Russian stock markets as reports suggest Russia’s military issued deadline for Ukrainian forces in Crimea to surrender.
Reports later denied. Russia’s UN envoy says toppled President Yanukovych asked Russian president in writing for use of force.

March 4 :
Russian President Vladimir Putin breaks silence, denying Russian troops have besieged Ukrainian forces in Crimea, asserting they are self-defence forces.
Ukrainian installations are surrounded by soldiers apparently in Russian uniforms who prevent a Ukrainian force from retaking Belbek airbase.
Clashes between the Crimean Tartar minority and ethnic Russians occurred outside the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol, while armed pro-Russian demonstrators continued to hold the parliament building itself.

Wed March 5, 2014:

Jew Kerry Wants You

Kerry: U.S. ‘will stand by the Ukrainian people‘

The Prime Minister is Ukraine’s head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government. The Prime Minister heads Ukraine’s executive branch of government, the Cabinet of Ministers and signs decrees passed by the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister has the authority to propose candidates for ministry offices to the Verkhovna Rada, with the exception of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defense, which are proposed by the President. The Prime Minister can also propose candidates for the heads of regional administrations to the President for consideration.

The Prime Minister can also countersign decrees and laws passed by the President. The constitution is silent on the exact regulation of the countersigning. The Prime Minister (and the respective minister) are responsible for the execution of laws passed by the Cabinet. While in office, the Prime Minister is granted full legal immunity from all prosecutions and legal proceedings.

The Prime Minister’s office is headquartered in the Cabinet of Ministries building in central Kiev.

The President is the Ukrainian head of state. The President represents the nation in international relations, administers the foreign political activity of the state, conducts negotiations and concludes international treaties. The Ukrainian president is elected by direct popular vote by Ukrainian citizens who are 18 years and over. The President is elected for a 5-year term of office, limited to two terms consecutively.

Ukraine’s electoral law provides for a two-round system electoral system to elect the President; a candidate must win an absolute majority of all votes cast. If no candidate obtains an absolute majority in the first round of voting then the two highest polling candidates contest a run-off second ballot.

According to Chapter V, Article 103 of the Constitution, a candidate in the presidential election a candidate must be a Ukrainian citizen who has attained the age of 35, has the right to vote, has resided in the country for the past 10 years (which eliminates Vitali Klitschko) and has full command of the Ukrainian state language (also which eliminates Vitali Klitschko).

According to Article 102 of the Constitution, the President is the guarantor of state sovereignty and territorial indivisibility of Ukraine, the observer of the Constitution and human rights and freedoms. As stated in Article 106, the President ensures state independence, national security and the legal succession of the state. Unlike in other semi-presidential systems of government, the President of Ukraine does not belong to the executive branch of government.

The Prime Minister is Ukraine’s head of government. Thus, the President serves to represent the country and government as a whole, and not any specific branch of government. The President is obliged by the Constitution to prevent any actions of the executive, legislative and judicial branches from taking effect and interfering with the powers of the Constitution.

The President has the power to submit a proposal for the nomination of the Prime Minister; the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine parliament), through a constitutional majority, has to support the candidacy. Laws passed by the Verkhovna Rada have to be signed by the President to become officially promulgated. The President also has the authority to create consultative, advisory and other subordinate government bodies for their authority with the use of the state budget. The President may address the nation and the Verkhovna Rada with his annual and special addresses on domestic and foreign issues of Ukraine. They may also call for the conduction of national referendums. The President appoints the heads of local state administrations nominated by the Prime Minister for the period of his presidency.

The President represents the country and government as a whole in international affairs. The President has the authority to conduct negotiations and sign treaties on behalf of the Ukrainian government. The right to recognize foreign nations rests solely with the President. The President may appoint and dismiss heads of diplomatic missions of Ukraine to other states and to international organizations and accept the recall of diplomatic representatives to Ukraine of foreign states. Although the President does not head the executive branch of government, they have the right to nominate their candidates for Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

As per the checks and balances system of Ukrainian government, the President can veto laws adopted by the Verkhovna Rada (except constitutional amendments). The President wields high power in the legislative branch of government compared to other European heads of state. They may disband the parliament and call for early elections. This power has only been used twice to date, both times by President Viktor Yushchenko (in 2007 and 2008). The legislative branches’ check on the President includes the right to overturn a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote of the parliament.

The President can suspend acts passed by the Cabinet of Ministers if they contradict the intent of the Constitution and challenge such acts with the Constitutional Court, one-third of which can be appointed (and dismissed) by the President. Ukrainian law also allows the President to establish new jurisdictional districts and courts. In addition, the President can select the Prosecutor General and Head of the Security Service of Ukraine with the Verkhovna Rada’s consent. One-half of the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine and the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting is reserved for the President to select.

In addition to serving as the head of state, the President is the Ukrainian Army’s Supreme Commander-in-Chief (Article 106) and the Head of the National Security and Defense Council, which advises the President regarding national security policy on domestic and international matters. The president can submit a declaration of war to the parliament and order the use of the Ukrainian Army and military formations in defense of aggression. Martial law can also be declared on the territory of Ukraine if state independence is deemed in danger. With the confirmation of the Verkhovna Rada, a state of emergency or zones of ecological emergency can also be adopted by the President.

Unconditional pardon is reserved exclusively for the President; however, this right cannot be exercised by an acting president.
The President can also confer citizens with state orders such as the Hero of Ukraine or confer high military, diplomatic and other ranks and class orders. Citizenship and political asylum in Ukraine can be granted and revoked by the President of Ukraine and as regulated by law.

The President of Ukraine appoints heads of regional state administrations (oblderzhadministratsia), presidential representatives to the Republic of Crimea, Verkhovna Rada, others. The President does not act as an ex officio head of state of Crimea. The President can revoke any laws passed by the Council of Ministers of Crimea that are deemed to contradict the Ukrainian Constitution and can provide their presidential consent on a nominee for Prime Minister of Crimea.

Since September 2011 the President of Ukraine is also head of the National Anti-Corruption Committee, while the Justice Minister serves as the secretary of this committee. The committee tasks include a systematic analysis of corruption in Ukraine and the development of measures to combat corruption.

It appears that the removal of Yanukovych was legal because Yanukovych had not signed the bills that would restore of the Constitution as it was between 2004 and 2010, which under Article 111 would have allowed for a president to be impeached “if he commits treason or other crime.” The constitutional guidelines provide for a review of the case by Ukraine’s Constitutional Court and a three-fourths majority vote by parliament (338 MPs).

whoops

The decisions to remove Yanukovych was supported by only 328 MPs without observing the procedure prescribed by Article 111 of the Constitution of Ukraine. Yanukovych still claims to be “the legitimate head of the Ukrainian state elected in a free vote by Ukrainian citizens” and is recognized as such by Russia.

As a mater of fact, the 2010 election and 2nd round run off election was the most highly regulated and international monitored in Ukraine’s post communist history. Observers from the International Election Observers Mission (OSCE/ODIHR, PACE, NATO, EU) praised the second round of the 2010 Ukrainian presidential election, as “an impressive display of democratic elections”. With all the votes counted, opposition leader Yanukovych won with 48.95 percent of the votes against 45.47 percent for Prime Minister Tymoshenko.

The international observations team called on both candidates to accept the result. According to Joao Soares, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE short-term observers, “it is now time for the country’s political leaders to listen to the people’s verdict and make sure that the transition of power is peaceful and constructive”.

This call was likely addressed especially to the defeated Tymoshenko, who apparently had been considering contesting the election result in court. Beside a short comment the following Sunday, when she said that she does not trust election polls, Tymoshenko kept silent and cancelled two press conferences the following day. Late Monday night, however, according to a leak cited in Ukrayinska Pravda, she declared that she would “never admit the legitimacy of the victory of Yanukovych with such an election.”
Despite the overall impressive judgement by both international (both Western and from the CIS) and domestic (Committee of Voters of Ukraine) observers.

Yanukovych inspired public anger by enabling the rise of the so-called “Family,” a group of high-ranking officials who gained office through their connections with Yanukovych’s son Oleksandr.

Indeed, Yanukovych’s efforts to maximize his own political and economic power have aggravated the oligarchs as well.

Pinchuk and another jewish tycoon by the name of Igor Kolomoysky hail from the city of Dnipropetrovsk, where Yanukovych appointed one of his own loyalists to the key job of provincial governor in 2010. That slap in the face gave the city’s jewish tycoons an additional reason to back the opposition. Geneva-based Kolomoysky has since allowed his television channel, 1+1, to support the protesters despite intense pressure from government officials to do otherwise.

Yet most of the oligarchs have shied away from criticizing Yanukovych all too directly — perhaps because they suspect that the president isn’t willing to surrender power. The main exception is Petro Poroshenko, the so-called “chocolate king of Ukraine,” whose core business has been hit particularly hard by recent Russian moves to pressure Ukraine economically into toeing the Kremlin line (including restrictions on Ukrainian chocolate imports). Poroshenko regularly speaks on one of the main opposition TV networks. He also frequently visits Western Europe to discuss means for resolving the crisis with senior EU officials, and makes no secret of his aspiration to be prime minister. According to the latest polls, he had the third-highest level of support in the country — right after Yanukovych and opposition leader Vitaly Klitchko.

Yanukovych and the oligarchs are also highly sensitive to pressure from the outside. U.S. sources say that Western banks, worried by the recent turmoil, have recently refused to extend credit lines for some of the oligarchs. It’s rumored that similar hesitations by some of the oligarchs, Ahkmetov’s (wealthiest of the jewish oligarchs, Rinat Akhmetov, who owns FC Shahtar Donetzk, with $9.6 billion — a more than threefold drop from $31.1 billion in 2008) Swiss banks may have persuaded him to order his parliamentarians to vote for the resignation of Yanukovych’s cabinet and against a recent package of legislation aimed at suppressing the protests. In other cases, though, the oligarchs’ forces have continued to vote with the government.

The U.S. use of targeted financial and visa sanctions has apparently unnerved the tycoons oligarchs who have indirectly controlled Ukrainian politics for decades, and who have funded Yanukovych’s ruling party. Their families live in London and Vienna, enjoy the benefits of European values such as democracy and the rule of law, and enrich themselves using capital from European markets. In a perfect world, removing the oligarchs from politics altogether would seem to be the solution of many of Ukraine’s problems — but such a goal is simply unrealistic. The oligarchs are simply too deeply integrated into politics and society.

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Outstanding timeline, Northpal. This is the best description of events leading up to the current crisis that I have ever read. I eagerly look forward to your forthcoming articles.

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6 years ago

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colin

Thank you Northpal for your interesting article. With your permission I would like to make copies of it to hand out to some friends who will find it interesting & enlightening. When I heard that “Ultra-Nationalists” & “Neo-Nazi’s” had taken power & that the swazstka & black sun could be seen in the streets of Kiev & other cities I was hoping that just maybe things were looking up. However the mere fact that Victoria Nuland, John “kohn” Kerry ,John Mc cain & others were clearly in support of them made it apparent that what we have… Read more »